Nontoxic Nontoxic Antifouling Antifouling

Strategies for Strategies for BoatsBoats

Leigh Taylor Johnson & Jamie Anne Leigh Taylor Johnson & Jamie Anne MillerMiller

UC Sea Grant Extension ProgramUC Sea Grant Extension Program San Diego CountySan Diego County

University of California Sea University of California Sea Grant Extension ProgramGrant Extension Program

• California Sea Grant Extension ProgramCalifornia Sea Grant Extension Program– 7 Marine Advisors and 1 Specialist7 Marine Advisors and 1 Specialist

• Enhance understanding, conservation, sustainable Enhance understanding, conservation, sustainable use of nation’s coastal and marine resourcesuse of nation’s coastal and marine resources

• Direct link for communication between university, Direct link for communication between university, industry, and publicindustry, and public– Applied research and education to assist policy makers Applied research and education to assist policy makers

and stakeholders in making wise decisions on issues and stakeholders in making wise decisions on issues affecting coastal and marine resourcesaffecting coastal and marine resources

– Water quality focus in San Diego CountyWater quality focus in San Diego County• Improve water quality and maintain viable boating industryImprove water quality and maintain viable boating industry• CA boating industry worth $11 billion in 1995CA boating industry worth $11 billion in 1995

Copper-Based Antifouling Copper-Based Antifouling PaintsPaints

• Designed to release Designed to release copper into surface copper into surface waters to prevent waters to prevent organisms from growing organisms from growing on boat bottom on boat bottom

• Crowded boat basins Crowded boat basins with low circulationwith low circulation

• Copper builds up in Copper builds up in water column and water column and sediment and can reach sediment and can reach toxic levelstoxic levels

• Regulations to reduce Regulations to reduce dissolved copper levels dissolved copper levels are being plannedare being planned

Elevated Dissolved Elevated Dissolved Copper LevelsCopper Levels

• Harmful levels of dissolved copper detected in boat Harmful levels of dissolved copper detected in boat basinsbasins– Exceed federal and state standards of 3.1 ppbExceed federal and state standards of 3.1 ppb

• San Diego Bay, Dana Point Harbor, Oceanside Harbor, Newport San Diego Bay, Dana Point Harbor, Oceanside Harbor, Newport Bay, Marina Del ReyBay, Marina Del Rey

– TMDLs San Diego Bay, Newport Bay, Marina Del Rey TMDLs San Diego Bay, Newport Bay, Marina Del Rey

• Boatyard discharges in Santa Barbara and Morro BayBoatyard discharges in Santa Barbara and Morro Bay• Affects growth, development, reproduction, survival Affects growth, development, reproduction, survival

at various life stages of: mussels, oysters, scallops, at various life stages of: mussels, oysters, scallops, crustaceans, sea urchinscrustaceans, sea urchins

• 95% of dissolved copper comes from passive 95% of dissolved copper comes from passive leaching by antifouling paintsleaching by antifouling paints

International IssueInternational Issue

• Copper-based bottom paints banned in Copper-based bottom paints banned in Netherlands and east coast of SwedenNetherlands and east coast of Sweden

• Nontoxic Antifouling Strategies Nontoxic Antifouling Strategies Conference in 2000 attracted Conference in 2000 attracted international audienceinternational audience– Presented technical, environmental, and Presented technical, environmental, and

regulatory aspects of issueregulatory aspects of issue– Stakeholders developed recommendations Stakeholders developed recommendations

presented to state and local officialspresented to state and local officials

Nontoxic Bottom Paint Nontoxic Bottom Paint Demonstration ProjectDemonstration Project

• Funded in part by US EPA and Funded in part by US EPA and California State Water California State Water Resources Control BoardResources Control Board

• Purpose to help boat owners Purpose to help boat owners make decisions about nontoxic make decisions about nontoxic antifouling strategiesantifouling strategies

• Tracked performance of Tracked performance of silicone, epoxy, and ceramic-silicone, epoxy, and ceramic-epoxy coatings on 6 epoxy coatings on 6 recreational boats in San Diego recreational boats in San Diego BayBay

• Underwater hull cleaners Underwater hull cleaners report:report:– coating conditionscoating conditions– fouling growth levelsfouling growth levels– diver effort levels diver effort levels – type of cleaning tools usedtype of cleaning tools used

Nontoxic Bottom Paint Nontoxic Bottom Paint CharacteristicsCharacteristics

• Must be able to withstand Must be able to withstand more frequent and possibly more frequent and possibly more aggressive cleaningmore aggressive cleaning

• May last long enough to May last long enough to make up higher application make up higher application costs and twice as frequent costs and twice as frequent hull cleaninghull cleaning

• Epoxy coatings are durable Epoxy coatings are durable and are expected to last and are expected to last many yearsmany years

• Silicone coatings are “fouling Silicone coatings are “fouling release” when vessel release” when vessel exceeds certain speed (20 exceeds certain speed (20 knots often cited)knots often cited)

Demonstration Project Demonstration Project ResultsResults

• Epoxy Coating (sail)Epoxy Coating (sail)– Almost 5 years old; 2 Almost 5 years old; 2

more years expectedmore years expected– Coating condition rated Coating condition rated

at 3 out of 5at 3 out of 5– Coating smoother as Coating smoother as

wears down from wears down from cleaningcleaning

After one year:After one year:• Epoxy Coating (power)Epoxy Coating (power)

– Nearly new conditionNearly new condition– Some wearing on edgesSome wearing on edges– Surface lightly etched Surface lightly etched

• Ceramic Epoxy Coating Ceramic Epoxy Coating (sail and diesel-electric)(sail and diesel-electric)– Nearly new conditionNearly new condition– Minor scarring from Minor scarring from

calcareous fouling growthcalcareous fouling growth– Coating has sheen but no Coating has sheen but no

shineshine

Sea Grant Extension Program Sea Grant Extension Program Demonstration Project Demonstration Project

Field DaysField Days• Educate boating community Educate boating community

on nontoxic alternatives to on nontoxic alternatives to copper bottom paintscopper bottom paints

• Opportunity for attendees to:Opportunity for attendees to:– View hull cleaning of project View hull cleaning of project

boats with underwater cameraboats with underwater camera– Speak to boatyard, underwater Speak to boatyard, underwater

hull cleaner, paint company, hull cleaner, paint company, Sea Grant representativesSea Grant representatives

– View project boat bottoms out View project boat bottoms out of waterof water

Senate Bill 315Senate Bill 315

• Directed California Department of Boating and Directed California Department of Boating and Waterways to fund study of incentives for boat Waterways to fund study of incentives for boat owners to switch to nontoxic alternativesowners to switch to nontoxic alternatives– UC Davis Center for Pest Management, Research, and UC Davis Center for Pest Management, Research, and

Education also supported studyEducation also supported study

• Collaborative effortCollaborative effort– Sea Grant Extension Program of San Diego CountySea Grant Extension Program of San Diego County– UCSD Department of EconomicsUCSD Department of Economics

• Purpose of studyPurpose of study– Identify incentives for boaters to switch to nontoxic Identify incentives for boaters to switch to nontoxic

alternativesalternatives

Economic Incentives StudyEconomic Incentives Study

• Surveyed 200 boaters in San Surveyed 200 boaters in San Diego BayDiego Bay– Use of antifouling coatingsUse of antifouling coatings– Frequency of re-coating and Frequency of re-coating and

stripping of copper paintstripping of copper paint– Willingness to pay for nontoxic Willingness to pay for nontoxic

coatingcoating– Awareness of availability of Awareness of availability of

nontoxic paintnontoxic paint

• Surveyed boatyard, under water Surveyed boatyard, under water hull cleaner, marina manager, hull cleaner, marina manager, paint company representativespaint company representatives

• Collected costs on application Collected costs on application and maintenance of nontoxic and maintenance of nontoxic coatingscoatings

Comparison of CostsComparison of Costs

• Hull maintenance costs includeHull maintenance costs include– Cost to prepare hull and apply coatingCost to prepare hull and apply coating– Cost of hull coatingCost of hull coating– Frequency coating needs to be appliedFrequency coating needs to be applied– How often coating needs to be strippedHow often coating needs to be stripped– Hull cleaning frequencyHull cleaning frequency

• Compare costs over total lifetime of boat: Compare costs over total lifetime of boat: copper versus nontoxic coatingscopper versus nontoxic coatings

Survey ResultsSurvey Results• Copper-based paintsCopper-based paints

– Less expensive to applyLess expensive to apply– Cleaned about every 4 Cleaned about every 4

weeksweeks– Re-applied every 2.5 Re-applied every 2.5

yearsyears– Stripped every 6Stripped every 6thth

application (every 15 application (every 15 years)years)

• Nontoxic PaintsNontoxic Paints– More expensive to applyMore expensive to apply– Cleaned about every 2 Cleaned about every 2

weeksweeks– May last 5-10 years or May last 5-10 years or

moremore– May never need to be May never need to be

strippedstripped– (San Diego boat has had (San Diego boat has had

epoxy coating almost 5 epoxy coating almost 5 years; expect 2 more)years; expect 2 more)

– Won’t adhere to copper Won’t adhere to copper paintpaint

Economic Study FindingEconomic Study Finding

• Most effective candidates Most effective candidates for nontoxic paint:for nontoxic paint:– New boatsNew boats– Boats that need to be Boats that need to be

stripped of old copper stripped of old copper paintpaint

• Requiring new boats to use Requiring new boats to use only nontoxic paints will only nontoxic paints will begin the phase-out of begin the phase-out of coppercopper

• Announcing a future ban Announcing a future ban will increase nontoxic hull will increase nontoxic hull value and encourage value and encourage boaters to switchboaters to switch

Boatyard Capacity Boatyard Capacity ConstraintsConstraints

• Quickest time to phase out copper paint in Quickest time to phase out copper paint in San Diego Bay is 7 years for $20 millionSan Diego Bay is 7 years for $20 million

• Least cost policy to phase out copper paint Least cost policy to phase out copper paint in San Diego Bay is 15 years for $1 millionin San Diego Bay is 15 years for $1 million

• Significant differenceSignificant difference– Allows newest existing boats painted with copper Allows newest existing boats painted with copper

to go the typical 15 years before paint is strippedto go the typical 15 years before paint is stripped

**Nontoxic paint can not adhere to copper paint****Nontoxic paint can not adhere to copper paint**

Looking to the FutureLooking to the Future

• UCTV DocumentaryUCTV Documentary

• Project evaluation and results extendedProject evaluation and results extended

• Present seminars to state, regional, and Present seminars to state, regional, and local associations of boat owners and local associations of boat owners and boating businessesboating businesses

• Review of other nontoxic or less toxic Review of other nontoxic or less toxic antifouling strategies being developed antifouling strategies being developed (based on funding availability)(based on funding availability)

Questions and CommentsQuestions and Comments

Thank you!Thank you!